Building block and wall.



No. 801,920. PATENTED OUT. 17, 1905. B. J. SGHWAB.

BUILDING BLOCK AND WALL.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 23. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

MWQWQ. 5mm, lsomw9-imwwiww No. 801,920, PATENTED OCT. 17, 1905. R. J.SOHWAB.

BUILDING BLOCK AND WALL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23. 1905.

2 SHEETS-$HEET 2.

2 W/ 441K501) W Smut) Box/Wu 2%Wawwa Q50 7'24 UNITED STATES PATENT@FFTCE.

BUILDING BLOCK AND WALL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1 7, 1 905.

Application filed February 23, 1905. Serial No. 246,943.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH J. SoHwAB, a citizen of the United States,residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in BuildingBlocks and Walls, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates more particularly to so-called two-piecebuilding-blocks and to walls constructed of such blocks with internalair-spaces, each course or tier consisting of two rows of blocks,forming the outer and inner faces or parts of a wall, which areseparated from each other by the intervening air-spaces.

The main objects of the invention are to key or fasten each block toadjoining blocks and securely bind and hold it in place in a wall, tointerlock and bind the inner and outer parts of the wall together and atthe same time insulate them from each other as completely as possible,thereby making the wall impervious to moisture without impairing itsstrength and stability, and generally to facilitate and improve theconstruction of building blocks and walls of this class.

It consists in certain novel features in the construction of the blocksand in the peculiar arrangement of such blocks in the formation ofwalls, as hereinafter particularly described, and pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings like characters designate the same parts inthe several figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a standard full-sized block embodyingthe invention. Fig. 2 is a like view of a slightly-modified form of theblock for turning corners in a wall. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspectiveview showing the arrangement of such blocks in the construction of awall, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of a course of blocks arranged to breakjoints with the top course shown in Fig. 3.

The standard full-sized block a, constructed in accordance with myinvention, as shown in Fig. 1, is formedon one side at one end and nearthe center with cross-webs b and c of equal length and of the sameheight as the body of the block. These webs on the regular standardblock employed in the construction of straight walls both terminate withdovetailed tenonsd (Z. About midway between the central web 0 andopposite ends of the block it is formed on the inner side with verticaldovetailed recesses 6, corresponding in shape'wit'h but somewhat widerthan the terminal tenons d of the crosswebs, so that in assembling theblocks the tenons can be entered into the recesses or the recessesplaced over the tenons sidewise without lifting and lowering the blocksvertically into place and without displacing or disturbing the blocksalready in position.

Semifunnel-form cavities f are made in the ends of the standard blocksto receive and hold mortar or cement and form with correspondingcavities in the ends of adjoining blocks keys for holding the blocks inplace and closing the joints between them. These cavities are preferablygradually expanded or enlarged from points at or near the horizontalcenter of the block in opposite directions toward its top and bottomfaces, so as to facilitate slushing or filling them with mortar orcement and to more effectively hold the mortar or cement in placetherein.

To connect and establish communication between the adjacent verticalair-spaces in walls constructed of these blocks and tomterrupt andprevent the passage of moisture from the outer to the inner parts of thewall, the cross-webs are formed with transverse channels g. Thesechannels maybe formed in the ends of the webs, as shown in Fig. 1, orthey may be madein their upper or lower faces or in both, as shown inFig. 2. In some cases they may, if desired, be altogether omitted.

For turning corners blocks a are made, the end webs b of which do nothave dovetailed tenons like those of the ordinary blocks for straightWalls, but are formed, as shown in Fig. 2, with cavities f, like thosein the ends of the standard block. In other respects the corner-blocksare essentially like the standard blocks. (Shown in Fig. 1.)

In the construction of walls with these blocks, as shown in Fig. 3, halfor fractional blocks, which may be made by dividing the full-sizedblocks, as indicated by the dotted line a w on Fig. i, are preferablyemployed for turning corners and are useful in locating door and windowopenings. These half blocks may be conveniently made by placing in themolds for the regular full-sized blocks thin parting plates orpartitions provided on opposite sides with cores to produce thefunnel-form cavities f, the standard block when so divided making twohalf-blocks exactly alike. Walls may, however, be laid and cornersturned so that the blocks in the rows of each course and of adjoiningcourses will break joints without using the half-blocks. WVhen thehalf-blocks are employed, they are preferably placed in the inner rowsof each course adjacent to corners and are reversed in position inadjoining orsuccessive courses, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The blocksare laid in each row to break joints with the other row in the samecourse and with corresponding rows in adjoining courses, thereby formingeffective bonds between adjoining blocks and the inner and outer partsof the wall. The crevices or spaces between the dovetailed tenons d andthe recesses in which they are inserted being filled with mortar orcement securely and permanently tie the inner and outer blocks and partsof the wall together, producing a strong, stable structure. The webs ofthe blocks in each course alternating with and overlapping the webs onthe blocks of adjoining courses strengthen the bonds between the innerand outer parts of the wall and form continuous vertical air spaces orpassages, which are connected by and communicate with each other throughthe transverse channels in the webs. Thus a comparatively light and atthe same time a strong,

' substantial, and durable wall is made.

' The blocks constructed as herein shown and described are light andeasy to handle and lay. The funnel-form cavities f being filled withmorter or cement form keys which securely hold the adjoining ends of theblocks together and effectively close the joints between them, and asthe blocks in each row and course break joints with the blocks of theadjoining rows and courses of the wall there can be no possibility of anopen joint or crevice for the passage of wind or air through the wall.

Various changes in minor details of construction and in the arrangementof the blocks may be made without departing from the principle andintended scope of the invention.

I claim 1. A building-block formed on one side at one end and near thecenter with cross-webs and on opposite sides of the central web withrecesses to receive the ends of cross-webs on adjoining blocks,substantially as described.

2. A building-block formed on one side, at one end and near the centerwith cross-webs terminating in dovetailed tenons and on opposite sidesof the central web with dovetailed recesses to receive the tenons onadjoining blocks, substantially as described.

3. A building-block formed on one side at one end, and near the centerwith cross-webs of equal length and of the same height as the body ofthe block, and on opposite sides of the central web with verticaldovetailed recesses, the central web terminating in a dovetailed tenon,substantially as described.

4:. A building -block having semifunnelform cavities at the ends andformed on one side, at one end and near the center with crosswebs and onopposite sides of the central web with vertical recesses arranged toreceive the ends of cross-Webs on adjoining blocks, substantially asdescribed.

5. A building-block formed at one end and near the center withcross-webs and on opposite sides of the central web with verticalrecesses arranged to receive the ends of crosswebs on adjoining blocks,the cross-webs having transverse channels for connecting the adjacentair-spaces in walls constructed of such blocks, substantially asdescribed.

6. A building-block formed at one end and near the center with verticalcross-webs and on opposite sides of the central webs with verticalrecesses arranged to receive the ends of cross-webs on adjoining blocks,the central cross-web having a transverse channel or passage connectingthe spaces on opposite sides of said web, substantially as described.

7. A building-block formed on one side, at one end and near the centerwith vertical cross-webs and on opposite sides of the central web withvertical recesses and having semifunnel-form cavities in its narrow endand in the end of its terminal web, substantially as described.

8. A wall composed of blocks each having cross-webs on one side at oneend and near the center and recesses on opposite sides of the centralweb to receive the ends of webs on adjoining blocks, the blocks of eachrow being laid to overlap and break joints with those in adjoining rowsof the same and other courses, and fractional blocks each having across-web at one end and a recess on the same side between its ends,said fractional blocks being laid alternatelyin reversed positions insuccessive courses adjacent to corners of the Wall, substantially asdescribed.

In witness whereof I hereto affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

CHAS. L. Gross, BERNARD C. RoLoFF.

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